


Highly Unsanitary Love

by simonbananaao3



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), Bisexual Richie Tozier, Fairground, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Kissing Booths, M/M, Making Out, Roller Coasters, Self-Discovery, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:01:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23165164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simonbananaao3/pseuds/simonbananaao3
Summary: “Do you even sell to guys?” Eddie asked.“Only to cute ones,” he said, a smug grin appearing on his face.“Then why’re you selling to me?”“Because you’re the cutest guy I’ve ever laid my eyes on, sweetheart.”ORThe one where Eddie and Bev go to the fairground and they meet a really cute guy at the Kissing Booth
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 11
Kudos: 162





	1. Just One Dollar

**Author's Note:**

> what to do when you're self quarantined... write fanfic of course!!!

The fair was in town! This meant almost nothing to little Eddie Kaspbrak, who wasn’t so little anymore as someone might notice.

His body betrayed him in his sophomore year, and his fair skin, angelic voice, and his childlike manner disappeared before his very eyes. Body hair crept upon him like a cancer, and his face was constantly riddled with at least one pimple.

But, alas was the life of a teenage boy. At least, he grew. Everything in his body seemed to at least double in size. His facial hair came in, which he showed off to his friends Bill and Stanley.

“Big whoop,” they said, showing off their already full-grown stubble.

Nevertheless, he was proud of it. Other parts of him, however, were more awkward. His cheeks couldn’t hide his embarrassment when his sexual urges would get the best of him. The anxiety of being caught by his mother whenever he relieved himself of this urge almost maximized the pleasure. The thought of being caught terrified him, but the fear made it even greater.

Perhaps the most strange thing was his gradual, yet still terrifyingly fast, drift toward what his mother said was the “sinful” side of attraction. Never in his life had he seen men as sexual objects. Yet, more often now, he found himself fantasizing about being taken over by a strong male figure. It excited him, the thought of being raptured by a man, being completely taken over, it was enough to drive him mad. This thought fueled him in his late nights when he held his dick in his hand and stared at his magazines that he spoke of to no one.

Other nights, he cried. He asked whoever was listening why he was made this way, why he wanted what was wrong. Either way, his sheets were stained every night, whether by tears or by love.

Despite all of this, he tried to live a normal life. When Beverly told him the fair was in town, he pushed down his fear of crowds and germs and agreed to go. Stepping into the fairground, the first thing he noticed is that the ground was mushy. Mud was Eddie’s least favorite thing right behind needles and subway stations, and now it was going to be all over his clothes.

“Come on, Eddie!” Beverly’s bright voice exclaimed, “Let’s try some of the rides!”

His heels dug into the dirt when he saw the ride she was leading him towards. It was a drop tower that looked as if it could drag you from heaven to hell in the blink of an eye. He looked at Beverly with wide eyes.

“No fucking way,” he said sternly.

“Yes fucking way,” she said, grabbing his hand.

“No. Look at that thing! One loose screw and it’ll kill the whole fair!” She laughed at his fear. He knew his pleas fell on deaf ears.

“Dude, relax. You’re gonna love it, I promise. Plus, you told me you wanted to be adventurous.”

She did have a point.

“I did say that, but adventurous doesn’t mean willingly sacrificing my life,” Eddie said.

“Okay, Dramatic Eddie is coming out to play, I see. Where’s Fun Eddie?”

“I killed him.”

“What a tragedy,” she said, rolling her eyes. She took his other hand and looked him in the eyes.

“Do it for me? I’m an orphan,” she said, feigning puppy eyes.

“Bev, we both have single parents.”

“Maybe they could get together, little bro.”

Eddie gagged at that comment which caused Beverly to bend over laughing.

“So, are we going?” Bev asked, with a more serious tone.

Eddie took another glance at the tower. He had done worse things with her, he supposed. Jumping off of the cliff at the quarry was one of the scariest but most invigorating things he had ever done. That event was also born out of Beverly coaxing him into it. Then again, it was fun.

“Fine, but if we die, I’m gonna kill you,” Eddie conceded.

Beverly led them to the ticket salesman and purchased two tickets for the Death Tower 3000. Its actual name was just “Drop Tower,” but Eddie felt the name he gave it was more appropriate.

As he sat on the grossly warm seat and strapped himself in, he seriously considered changing his views on religion. He wondered who would save him if the entire contraption malfunctioned. Before he had time to realize his mortality, the ride started.

His feet left the ground as he and the other God-forsaken souls on this ride rose above Derry, Maine. He didn’t dare look down, or up, or straight forward. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to a time when he wasn’t nearly fifty feet off the ground.

“Eddie, look! It’s so beautiful, Eddie!”

“I am NOT opening my eyes!” Eddie screamed.

“Please, you’re not gonna wanna miss this!”

That was Eddie’s magic phrase. Eddie had his fears of course. Germs, needles, public transportation, germs, throwing up, heights, the dentist, and germs.

His worst fear, though, was being left out.

Ever since he was little, he was always forced to miss out on the joys of life because his mother said he couldn’t do it. In school, he was always the last one to get picked for group projects. Once he met Bev, Bill, and the others, they finally taught him what it meant to live a life. They made him realize how shitty his mother had been to him. So, he tried to change, and that meant he was going to open his eyes.

When he opened his eyes, the entire town was below him. He saw the bright lights of the fair, the distant lights of buildings, and the stars that stretched as far as he could see. He couldn’t help but smile at the beauty of the earth. The night sky smiled back at him as Eddie felt the cool wind on his face. Eddie was laughing too. It felt like Mother Nature was giving him the most soothing hug he had ever had. Then, they all fell, and it was over.

He didn’t know what he liked better: the climb or the fall. All he knew is that he owed Bev big time.

Again.

Now that Eddie had loosened up, he was in the mood to try more things that he normally wouldn’t. He and Bev patronized a few more rides before Eddie saw something peculiar in the middle of the fair. It was a small booth made of pink and white cloth. Crudely cut paper hearts lined the top of it which surrounded huge foam letters that read “KISSING BOOTH.”

Manning the booth was one guy who was resting his head on the table. Whether it was out of despair or boredom, Eddie could not tell. Eddie tugged on Bev’s shirt and pointed in the direction of the sad little booth. Bev’s eyes lit up.

“We HAVE to do it!” she said.

“What? We? I’m not kissing some random stranger.”

"Why not?"

"It's HIGHLY unsanitary!"

"Yeah, but not if you fall in love." Eddie groaned at that remark.

“Come on, it’s part of the fair experience," Bev pleaded.

“I have literally never heard of that.”

“It’ll still be fun! Plus,” she looked over at the man, who’s head was now off the table and was looking in their direction, “he’s kinda cute, right?”

“Aren’t you a lesbian?”

“I still have eyes! Look at him!”

Eddie took a look at him. Okay, he wasn’t bad looking. He had many features that certainly made him attractive. He had a nice jawline, some stubble, and thick, black curly hair. He also had these massive thick-rimmed glasses which Eddie couldn’t help but adore. Eddie unconsciously smiled at him which the man obviously enjoyed. The man smiled at Eddie and then winked.

Eddie’s hands immediately began sweating. A strange sensation crept into his stomach, filling it with heat. He felt like he couldn’t speak, but he found himself being pulled to the booth by Bev’s hand.

Before he had a chance to protest, the man started speaking to them.

“One dollar for a smooch, lady and gentleman, just one dollar!” he said with a big smile.

Eddie couldn’t help but find it adorable. He was in it now. The guy was even cuter up close, and Eddie could see now that they were pretty similar in age. Not only that, but the way he spoke and generally acted was enough to make anyone swoon. At least, that’s what Eddie thought.

“I’ll pay!” Bev said, pulling a dollar out of her pocket.

“Bev!”

“What? It’s part of the fair!”

She slapped the dollar on to the desk and leaned in. The man gave her a kiss that stretched on for about ten seconds. For the first time, Eddie experienced a new emotion, one that welled up from deep inside him and put a bitter taste in his mouth: jealousy.

When the kiss ended, both of them were laughing.

“Pretty good for a man,” she said.

“Well I oughta be good if I’m chargin’ for it,” he said with a chuckle.

This was all too much for Eddie. The feelings in his stomach were churning to form the unmistakable taste of anxiety. He turned on his heel and began to walk away from the booth.

“Where’re you goin’ handsome?” the man called out.

Eddie stopped, but he didn’t turn around.

“I’m still waitin’ on my kiss,” the boy said.

Still, Eddie didn’t budge.

“I didn’t pay you,” Eddie said.

“Couldn’t hear you, baby.”

Eddie turned around.

“I said, I didn’t pay you, and I don’t want a stupid kiss.”

“Well, now that’s just plain mean,” the boy said, crossing his arms. Even that was cute. Eddie found himself becoming more smitten as the seconds past.

“Do you even sell to guys?” Eddie asked.

“Only to cute ones,” he said, a smug grin appearing on his face.

“Then why’re you selling to me?”

“Because you’re the cutest guy I’ve ever laid my eyes on, sweetheart.”

Eddie could have sworn his heart stopped at that moment. That feeling, the heat in his stomach, it was back. He felt his fingertips go numb at the thought of another man, this man, in particular, finding him cute.

“So what do you say, baby? Am I gonna get my wish?”

Eddie wanted to kiss him. Badly. But he wasn’t going to let it happen so easily. He had never kissed anyone before, even after three years of high school, and he wasn’t going to give it up to the first guy who told him he was cute.

“I don’t even know your name,” Eddie said, his confidence coming out of nowhere.

The boy took a courteous bow and took Eddie’s hand and kissed it. His hand felt like it was burning.

“The name is Richard Tozier, at your service. Other people have different names for me, of course.”

“What do other people call you?”

“Lots of things! Trashmouth, punk, idiot… daddy.”

He said the last one with a wink which caused Eddie to recoil, but it also piqued Eddie’s interest.

“Most people just call me Richie,” he said.

“Richie… it suits you.”

Richie smiled at that.

“And what glorious name falls upon you, my good sir?” Richie asked with a horrible British accent.

“Edward Kaspbrak. Please, just call me Eddie,” he said.

Richie smiled.

“Alrighty then, Eds, can I have my kiss now?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you? And it’s Eddie, not Eds.”

“Ask me then, Eds.”

“Not until you call me by my name.”

“Let’s strike a deal. Eddie Spaghetti?”

“Please stop.”

“Can’t. Not until you shut me up.”

Eddie sighed. He leaned in about an inch closer to Richie. The height difference would certainly be an issue hear. Eddie got on to his tippy-toes just to be at eye level with Richie. Eddie took a deep breath, inhaling Richie’s cologne which made the shorter boy go a little insane.

Richie closed the gap between them and allowed their lips to connect. It was a shy kiss at first. Richie added a certain tenderness into it that Eddie had never experienced. He loosened himself up a bit, allowing his mouth to open. Richie gladly accepted the invitation, his tongue graciously moving in synchrony with Eddie’s. Richie placed a hand on Eddie’s cheek, locking both of them together.

For Eddie’s first kiss, he knew that this was something that he would remember for the rest of his life. He’s heard some stories from his friends about what this would be like. Bev said it feels like fireworks. Stan said it fades away the moment your lips separate. This was nothing like either of those. This was the only thing he was going to think about. When he gets scared at night, he would be thinking about this kiss, and it would calm him down. When he tastes something sweet, he would remember the taste of Richie’s kiss, and it would make the taste even sweeter.

When they finally parted, Eddie left a part of him with Richie, and Richie did the same. It took a while for Eddie to open his eyes afterward.

“Well, how was that, Eds?”

“Pretty fuckin’ good, Trashmouth.”

“Woah! Language AND you’re using my name against me? I like it.”

Eddie hit him playfully.

“So, I have to pay now, right?”

Richie smiled and looked down.

“You know what? It’s on the house.”


	2. The Only One Worth Waiting For

The world could have been burning. Death could have been at Eddie’s doorstep. His life could have been coming to a close, but he wouldn’t have had a care in the world, because he just had the kiss of a lifetime with an unexpected prince. A prince whose castle was made of cheap wood and hearts cut from elementary school construction paper. 

Eddie couldn’t even begin to understand why this man captured his heart the way he did. In a matter of minutes, Eddie’s entire focus shifted to a man whose day job was making out with strangers. 

Why? 

Was it the way Richie looked at Eddie like he was the only person at the fair? Was it the way Richie’s hand slowly caressed Eddie’s cheek, burning him with love? Or was it just the magic of the fair, something in the air that made Eddie love harder than ever before? 

Perhaps, all of Richie’s customers felt the way that Eddie did, only to have their heartbroken when they realize that they were just another customer. But then, why would he have kissed Eddie for free? That was the question on Eddie’s mind as he stumbled through the rest of the fairground. 

Eddie didn’t care much about what was happening. Along the course of the night, Bill and Stanley had joined them. The four of them were not complete. Their friend group, lovingly dubbed “The Losers” had two other members who weren’t able to hang out that night. Still, Bill and Stanley gave Beverly some relief from Eddie’s hyper-fixation on Richie. 

Bill and Stanley had been dating for the past nine months. They started dating after Bill came out to the Losers in an uncharacteristically tearful manner. Bill never liked to show weakness, but that night, he cried hard. The rest of the Losers hadn’t seen Bill cry since his brother, Georgie, died. The group jumped to console him, but Stanley led the charge, rubbing circles into Bill’s back while he cried on Stanley’s shoulder. It was a hard night, but it was beautiful too. 

They started dating soon after, and that’s when Eddie decided to speak his truth. Being gay is hard, but having a community of Losers that always have Eddie’s back makes it easier. 

The others were getting ready to leave the fair, and Eddie didn’t want to end the night without seeing Richie again. He didn’t say any of this to the others who Eddie assumed were already tired of hearing about Richie.

“You know, my mom has a curfew for me so I should probably get going, guys. I mean, you know how she gets,” Eddie said, trying to sell his lie.

“You didn’t mention a curfew,” Beverly said. 

“No, I know, but I do have one.” 

“Jeez, Eddie, Sonia’s getting stricter by the minute,” Bill said. Eddie let out a dry laugh.

“Yeah, I know. It’s alright,” Eddie said, as he started walking away from them, “I’ll see you guys at school?”

Eddie left without an answer, but he didn’t mind. Eddie rushed to the area where the Kissing Booth was. He found the booth, but in the place of Richie, a blonde girl was manning the station with a line of guys holding their wallets. 

Eddie’s heart sank. He feared Richie’s shift ended early and he had already left. Did they have shifts? How did kissing booths work? Eddie turned around to head home, his head low. 

“Came back for more, huh?” said a familiar voice. Eddie looked up, but he couldn’t see Richie anywhere.

“Behind you, babe.” Eddie turned around and was greeted by a smiling Richie. Eddie got closer to him. 

“You done working?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah, my shift ended an hour ago.”

“An hour ago? Why’re you still here?”

“Well,” Richie bowed his head sheepishly, “I was lookin’ for you.” Eddie’s face got hot. That feeling in his stomach came back again. 

“Me?”

“Yeah, you.” Eddie paused for a moment.

“Why?” Richie didn’t need to respond with words. He leaned in and kissed Eddie. It was the perfect answer. It said  _ Why did I wait for you, Eddie? Because when you left I only imagined you when I kissed other customers. Because I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you. Because I fell for you, and I want to keep falling for you. Why did I wait for you? Because you’re the only one worth waiting for. _

When the kiss parted, Eddie stared knowingly into Richie’s eyes. 

“I’m afraid I’m falling for you,” Eddie said.

“Then let me catch you,” Richie answered, softly. 

Eddie slowly **** leaned in again, but not for a kiss. Eddie put his arms around Richie’s torso and locked himself in a tight embrace. Eddie breathed in Richie’s aroma, letting the smell drench him. Richie put his arms around Eddie and tightened the grip. 

It was everything both boys needed. The embrace was purely restorative. 

When they parted again, they left the fairground, hand in hand. One smiled at the other, and the other would smile back. 

And they would never be parted, for this was their epilogue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!!


End file.
